Welcome to December, everyone! We made it to the final month of this absolutely crazy year. Pat yourself on the back if you and the people close to you are still healthy and employed through all of this. If that is indeed you, then consider giving a helping hand to those less fortunate.
The turn of the calendar also marks the occasion of me having moved out of my parent's’ place for one full month. I have to say it still sometimes feel strange to wake up at this new spot, thinking this isn’t where I belong. As if I am off somewhere on vacation instead, and soon I’ll have to go home to my own bed. In other ways, new routines have set in, and the studio unit I’m renting have morphed into something truly my own. One month’s worth of cooking and living smells have permeated through the place, and it’s recognizably home when I return from work and open the front door.
Speaking off work, the real magic of this new house is how close it is to my place of employment. A 10 minute leisurely stroll is all it takes for me to arrive on campus, ready to rock. Not having a slogging commute is the biggest improvement to well-being that moving to this place have created. Living this close to work is a game-changer: stress is lower, and I get more time back in the day. It was done on purpose, too: if I were to move out, it had to be somewhere nearer to campus.
The other huge benefit is the absolute quietness that my new neighborhood provides. The western side of San Francisco can largely be described as suburbia, and it’s such a contrast from the southwestern side’s bustle and noisiness. I can now read a book without being interrupted constantly by the blaring radio of a passing car (I live in practically a subdivision), and can go to sleep without needing earplugs because the neighbors aren’t playing loud music way into the night.
These two factors alone - proximity to work and the quiet environment - is well worth the monthly rent that I now have to pay. More often than not, I am very willing to trade money for less stress and peace of mind.
All clouds but no rain.